Back scrubbing brush



S 1943- F. H. ELLINGER I 2,318,680

BACK SCRUBBING BRUSH F iled Jan. 26, 1942 z- ATTORNEY5.

Patented May 11, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BACK SCRUBBING BRUSHFlora H. Ellinger, Chicago, 111.

Application January 26, 1942, Serial No. 428,255

6 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to improvements in brushes, andrelates more specifically to improvements in the construction andoperation of back scrubbing brushes.

Generally defined, an object of the invention is to provide animprovedbrush, especially adapted for scrubbing the human back when bathing,which is simple in construction and highly efficient in operation.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a brush for thehuman back which is highly flexible and adjustableto properly cooperatewith the backs of diverse individuals.

A further specific object of the present invention is to provide a backscrubbing brush which may be readily manipulated by a novice fromvarious positions and with equal effectiveness.

An additional specific object of the invention is to provide a dualhand-led brush which most eifectively contacts the back of the user, andwhich is free of rough or-protruding parts likely to mar the skin.

A still further specific object of my invention is to provide a brushwhich is sturdy in construction and sanitary in use, and which may bereadily manufactured of standard materials at. moderate cost.

Still another specific object of this invention is to provide a backbrush which may be readily filled with a supply of liquid soap foreffective cleansing when. in use.

An additional specific object ofthepresent in,- vention is to provide aback. scrubbing brush which serves both for cleansing and skin.stimulating. or massaging. purposes.

These and other specific objectsand advantages of my invention will beapparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the several features constituting: my presentimprovement. and of the mode of constructingand of utilizing brushassemblages built in accordance-with my invention, may be: had byreferring to the drawing accompanying and, forming a: part of thisspecification wherein like reference characters designate the same; or.similar-parts in: the several: views;w

Fig. isv a. plan view of th improved brush assemblage;

Fig. 2.is a transverse sect on through-the brush assemblage, taken.along-theline- 2"2 of 1; Fig. 3: a plan view of a modified type ofbrushassemblage, portions being breken away to illustrate details ofconstruction;

4 is-a f'ragmentarypart sectional view of a further modified type ofbrush assemblage; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through the brush shown in Fig. 4, takenalong the line 5-5.

While the invention has been shown herein as being applied to a brushassemblage especially adapted for scrubbing the human back, it is not mydesire or intent to thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope or utilityof the improvement.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the improved brush I assemblage comprises ingeneral, an elongated cylindrical brush I0 composed of several strandsof twisted wire H having bristles [2 extending radially therefrom, apair of relatively springy and flexible arms l3 each firmly secured atone of its ends to an adjacent end of the wires H, and a gripping handleI 1 attached to the opposite end of each arm l3. The brush l0 may beformed in a well known manner by twisting several strands of wire Habout each other and about the medial portions of numerous bristles l-2to firmly clamp the bristles therebetween, and the opposite ends of thewires II should preferably extend a substantial distance beyond the zoneof the bristles 12. The arms 13 may be formedof resilient tubing or thelike, and may be rigid-- ly attached to the protruding ends of the brushwires II by pressing, brazing, or otherwise s'e-- curing the endsof'these wires H within the hollow ends of the tubular arms. Each of thearms [3 is preferably bowed outwardly at I5 away from the adjacent endof the brush l0 and the ends I6 of the arms remote from the brush arebent at an oblique angle to the common plane of the arms for insertionwithin the handles 14; The handles I4 may be applied to the ends-1'6 ofthe arms I3 in any suitable manner; and these handles will then bedisposed at an oblique angle to the common plane of the arms l3 byvirtue of the bending of the arms at the ends [6. I

During normal use of the improved brush assemblage, the user may firstapply soap tothe brush it), and may then grip the handles M; in the mostconvenient manner preparatory to scrubbing his or her back. The brushmay then be effectively operated from any one ofthreepo-- sitions asfollows: from an approximately vertical position with the handles heldabove the bathers-back and'pointed downwardly and rear-- wardly; or froman approximately horizontal'position, after the widened or bowed portionhas been slipped over the shoulders of the bather, with the handles heldin front of the b'athers body and'po'inted either upwardly or downwardly in the most natural manner; or from an approximately verticalposition with the handles in a lowermost position and pointed upwardlyand rearwardly.

It is readily apparent that the particular formation of the arms andgripping handle are of primary importance in the present improvement,since the brush may be readily manipulated from various positions withequal effectiveness because of the outward bowing of the arms and theangle at which the gripping handles are disposed with respect to theplane of the arms. The flexibility of the arms is also an importantfeature in this type of brush since the handles and arms may be spreadlaterally to vary the distance therebetween, as well as to permitadjustment of the brush unit to fit the individual using the assemblage.

Referring to Fig. 3, the modified assemblage shown therein comprises ingeneral, an elongated cylindrical brush also composed of several strandsof twisted wire 2| having bristles 22 extending radially therefrom, apair of relatively rigid tubular arms 23 each snugly slipfitted at oneof its ends upon an adjacent protruding end of the wires 2|, a grippinghandle 24 attached to the opposite end of each tubular arm 23, and aturnbuckle 21 coacting with alined threaded eye-bolts 28 which coactwith the arms 23 near the handles 24. The brush 2!! may be formed in thesame manner as the brush |0 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the arms 23 arepreferably formed of relatively rigid or stiff tubing. The protrudingends of the brush wires 2| may be snugly slip-fitted within the hollowends of the tubular arms 23 remote from the handles, and each of thesearm ends may be bowed outwardly at 25 away from the adjacent end of thebrush '20. The opposite arm ends are preferably bent at an oblique anglerelative to the common plane of the arms 23 for the reception of thehandles 24, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The turnbuckle 21 and eye-bolts28 are provided in order to facilitate lateral adjustment of the arms 23relative to each other and to maintain the arms rigid and in a commonplane, and the eyes of the threaded bolts ar firmly connected to thearms 23 near the handles 24. When the turnbuckle is rotated the width ofthe brush assemblage will be varied and the curved arm ends will thenmove laterally by virtue of the slip-fit o.

of the brush wire within the tubular arms. While the modified assemblageis not quite as flexible in us as the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thestructure is nevertheless more rigid and is adjustable in width.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the modified assemblage shown thereincomprises in general, a relatively flat hollow brush body 30 havingbristles 3| secured to the opposite sides thereof, two independent andsegregated soap chambers 32, 33 formed within the brush body 30 and eachcommunicating with the adjacent scrubbing zone through a plurality ofsmall ports 34, access openings each provided with a closure cap 35, 36for efiecting access to the chambers 32, 33, and twisted wires 31 or thelike secured to the opposite ends of the brush 30 and extendingoutwardly beyond the zone of the bristles. The modified brush 30 may bemounted in a frame such as shown in Fig. 3, and may be reversiblysuspended from the frame arms 23 in a manner already fully described.During normal use of the chambered brush, one or both of the chambers32, 33 may be filled with liquid soap upon removal of the correspondingfilling cap 35, 36,

and this soap will feed slowly to the adjacent scrubbing zone throughthe ports 34 when the brush is being used. Since the protruding wires 31are slip-fitted within the ends of the arms 23, the brush 30 may berevolved about its longitu dinal axis to present either set of bristlesto the scrubbing zone. It should be apparent that the modified structureshown in Figs. 4 and 5 not only provides a convenient and efiectivemethod of soaping the human back, but also provides a brush whereindifferent types of soap may be used in the segregated chambers 32, 33.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that mypresent invention provides an improved back scrubbing brush which issimple and durable in construction, and which is highly efiicient andflexible in use. The improved brush assemblage may be readilymanufactured and assembled of relatively standard stock and is extremelyneat and compact in appearance. The assemblage may be readilymanipulated from various different positions with equal effectiveness,and the arms are so shaped as to provide freedom in operation of thebrush. The device may be firmly grasped with both hands, and the handlesare disposed at an angle to the common plane of the arms to aid inconvenient manipulation of the brush. The device is exceedinglysanitary, and is free of protruding parts likely to catch-and mar theskin, and has proven highly successful in actual use.

While the improved brush assemblage has been specifically describedherein asbeing especially adapted for scrubbing the human back, it mayobviously be conveniently utilized as an aid in cleansing or massagingother parts of the body such as the feet or legs when bathing. Othertypes of brushes may also be used with the frames herein shown anddescribed, and any'standard brush may be readily provided with suitablemeans for retaining the same on the desired frame in place of thebrushes shown. The lateral flexibility or movement of the arms is highlydesirable since the brush assemblage may be adjusted or varied inwidthto suit the convenience of th individual user, and the provision oftwo handles is also desirable since it facilitates manipulation of thebrush assemblage.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this inventionto the exact details of construction, or to the precise mode of use,herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scopeof the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art. Iclaim:

1. In a back scrubbing device, an elongated brush rigidly'connected atits opposite ends to a pair of relatively rigid but resilient arms, eacharm being permanently bowed outwardly away from the adjoining brush endimmediately adjacent thereto and then being directed inwardly toward theother arm and having its free end permanently bent to an oblique anglewith respect'to the common plane of the brush and arms, and a rigidhandle firmly secured to the obliquely extending portion of each arm. 7a

2. In a back scrubbing device, an elongated brush having a continuousscrubbing zon and being connected at its opposite ends to a pair ofrelatively rigid but resilient arms, each arm being permanently bowedoutwardly away from the ad-' joining brush end immediately adjacentthereto and then being directed inwardly toward the other arm at thefree ends of the arms, and a rigid handle fixedly secured to the freeend of each arm and extending at an oblique angle to the common plane ofthe brush and arms.

3. In a back scrubbing device, a brush connected at its opposite ends toa pair of relatively rigid but resilient arms, each arm being bowedoutwardly away from the adjoining brush end immediately adjacent theretoand then being directed inwardly toward the other arm at the free endsof the arms, a handle rigidly secured to the free end of each arm, andmeans associated with said arms near said handles for relativelylaterally adjusting the same toward and away from each other whilemaintaining them in a common plane.

4. In a back scrubbing device, an elongated brush connected at itsopposite ends to a pair of relatively stiff arms, each am being bowedoutwardly away from the adjoining brush end immediately adjacent theretoand bent inwardly toward each other at the free ends thereof, a handleat the free end of each arm extending at an oblique angle to the commonplane of the brush and the arms, and means co-operating with each ofsaid arms for relatively laterally adjusting said arms and formaintaining them in a common plane.

5. In a back scrubbing device, a longitudinally curved brush connectedat its opposite ends to a pair of relatively rigid but resilient arms,each aim being curved outwardly from the adjoining brush end anddirectly adjacent thereto and having its free end remote from the brushdirected inwardly toward the corresponding free end of the other arm,and a rigid handle secured to the free end of each arm.

6. In a back scrubbing device, a longitudinally curved brush connectedat its opposite ends to a pair of relatively rigid but resilient arms,each arm being curved outwardly from the adjoining brush end anddirectly adjacent thereto and having its free end remote from the brushdirected inwardly toward the corresponding free end of the other arm,and a rigid handle secured to the free end of each arm, said handlesbeing disposed at oblique angles relative to the common plane of thebrush and arms.

FLORA H. ELLINGER.

